After voters rejected tax increases that would have supported area schools and employee salaries, St. Helena Parish canceled school for the district as educators held a mass "sick out" 鈥 the second local parish to face educator protests聽over election outcomes in recent months.
The St. Helena School District said in a that school would be closed Monday for an "Educator Sick Out" that was organized by parish school board employees. School leaders said they did not have enough substitutes to cover classes and ensure students are safe.聽
It was not clear if school would also be closed on Tuesday, or if certain graduations will take place as scheduled, district leaders said in the post.
In a letter to district leaders, the school sytem's educators and employees expressed their disappointment at a recent tax measure that failed in the April 29 election.
聽to support schools in the most recent election: A one penny sales tax for employee salary increases and a 16.02-mill property tax for yearly academic support, school safety and employee salary increases. Voters rejected the first by a margin of 57% to 43% and the second by a margin of 58% to 42%, according to complete but unofficial results from the secretary of state's website.
In the weeks before the election, school district communications framed the proposals as a package deal 鈥斅"one cent and 16 mills" 鈥 that could positively impact the school system.聽
"We are shocked. The failed tax measure would have provided literacy support for our young learners, enhance school safety and technology, offer more dual enrollment opportunities, and support employee retention," the school employee letter said. "It's hard to grasp why some parents, who depend on educators for everything, would deny their own children's success in the district in which they live."
The district has listed high teacher turnover, lack of sustainable funding for academic programs and school safety as some of the factors that have negatively affected the school system's progress.
鈥淥ver the past three years alone, we have lost over 66 teachers and hired over 102,鈥 according to the district鈥檚 website. 鈥淭his has led to inconsistent instruction for learners."聽
School leaders hoped to become more competitive by increasing certified teacher pay by $6,000 and non-certified employee pay by $4,000 鈥斅爌utting their beginning teacher's salary at $47,000.
St. Helena is the second parish that has seen an upheaval in its school system following a pivotal tax failure. Livingston Parish recently rejected a similar 1-cent sales tax that would have provided raises for all district employees. Leaders there have said the parish ranks last among its neighbors for teacher salaries, leading to them lose talented educators for better paying opportunities nearby.聽
Following that March election and tax failure, two schools canceled classes for a day when teachers called in sick. Employees picketed the first school board meeting following the vote, waving signs to passing cars asking them to honk in support of teachers and wearing T-shirts that declared, "I'm not worth a penny."聽
In promoting the tax proposals, St. Helena district leaders that increased teacher pay, funded new facilities and allowed for building renovations. Before that election, the school's campuses were in disrepair, and teachers started at a salary of about $30,000, officials said.
The St. Helena letter called for the parish to "stop hurting our children and start promoting education in our community." Educators and employees said they would like to hear from people who didn't support the tax and planned to parade to the Greensburg Market Monday morning and then march to the courthouse after.
"Despite the naysayers, we afford our learners many opportunities in this school district even with limited resources," the letter said.聽
District administrators said they would meet with employee representatives to discuss their concerns.
